Haha, good question, and the answer is both! PJ could be the President and defacto GM like Riley, or he could just be President and have a GM as well to more or less do his bidding. The main point though is PJ would be the one making all coaching/roster decisions, which is all that matters.

The President's duties include:
- managing GM and executive staff, including hiring/firing
- liaison between ownership and managment
- overseeing management of all team departments, both team (GM) and organization related (senior managers from various standard corporate departments, such as HR, finance, marketing, etc...)

In the Pat Riley role, Jackson would become the President and either also be the GM or rule over a GM. In an advisory role, he could either be the President or sit in a special role between the President in GM, so that it's his strategic direction that the GM implements.

Of course, this is all based on assumption and conjecture, based on following far too many teams for far too long...

It's worth mentioning that some organizations have a specific title for president of basketball operations, which is going to be an overseer of the GM, but would not include some presidential oversight like finance and marketing. And in some organizations, this is described as a vice-president position. I think if you compared all the org-charts of every NBA team and the duties of each role, few would match with one another. I never really understood how the relationship between Colangelo and Stefanski was supposed to work. It should be that Stefanski as vice president of basketball operations, should be GM Colangelo's boss, but then president Colangelo is vice-president Stefanski's boss. I suspect that Stefanski doesn't have near the authority that other VPs of basketball operations have.

I think in the case of Jackson, if he's interested in a position, you figure out how he thinks he can be of use to you, what he wants to do, what responsibilities your comfortable with him handling, and then craft a role for him, in terms of job description. The actual job title is secondary to the whole thing.

Nelson also carries the title of VP (or president?) of basketball operations, while Buford is president of sports operations. In Buford's case that means that he does more than just handle the Spurs, but e.g. also their D-league team. I'm guessing something similar is the case for Nelson, because he owns part of their D-league team. If I'm correct.

Why does everyone want the Zen Master so bad? He's a coach, and he's never been anything more. Sure, past experience does not predicate success. But no past experience is, in my opinion, usually doomed to failure. I'd like someone a little more familiar with the job than a legendary coach.

The President's duties include:
- managing GM and executive staff, including hiring/firing
- liaison between ownership and managment
- overseeing management of all team departments, both team (GM) and organization related (senior managers from various standard corporate departments, such as HR, finance, marketing, etc...)

In the Pat Riley role, Jackson would become the President and either also be the GM or rule over a GM. In an advisory role, he could either be the President or sit in a special role between the President in GM, so that it's his strategic direction that the GM implements.

Of course, this is all based on assumption and conjecture, based on following far too many teams for far too long...

Its whatever the board decides them to be. Pat Riley is still 'President' but with the roles of GM, with the heat having no person with the GM title.

"We only have one rule on this team. What is that rule? E.L.E. That's right's, E.L.E, and what does E.L.E. stand for? EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY. Right there up on the wall, because this isn't just a basketball team, this is a lifestyle. ~ Jackie Moon

ESPN just put out an article on different possible landing spots for Phil Jackson. The Raptors came in as the most likely possibility:

1. Toronto Raptors

This has been the hot rumor, but even if it weren't, the Raptors would make a lot of sense. They have a young, talented roster, though not one that is necessarily fitted with Jacksonian-type players. Toronto's cap situation isn't the best, and that remains true even if you use the amnesty tag on Andrea Bargnani.

However, Jackson is pals with Tim Leiweke, who was recently named CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which counts the Raptors as one of its numerous sports holdings. Leiweke is on the short list of the most powerful people in sports, and if he and Jackson want to get together, the presence of Ed Stefanski, Bryan Colangelo and Dwane Casey -- all capable people -- is not going to stand in his way.

And not for nothing, Jackson is a huge fan of Alex McKechnie, Toronto's director of sports science. Jackson knows how valuable a capable training staff is in the NBA, and worked with McKechnie in L.A.